Page 51 of Devil's Tulip

His words are drowned out by a deep, furious roar.

15

MICHAEL

I bellow as the elevator doors slam shut, that blank look in her eyes searing itself into my goddamn soul.

Then I snap.

I whirl, fingers locking around Rafael’s collar, yanking him forward.

“Michael!”

Lorenzo jolts at my outburst, grabbing my shoulder, but I shake him off and tighten my grip, choking Rafael. But the fucker remains unruffled, staring at me through empty grey eyes.

“How could you do that?” My voice comes out guttural, barely human. “I fucking told you I needed to talk to you first before we involved Aldo.”

His hands come up to mine, irritation finally flickering into his eyes when I don’t release him immediately. He shoves at my grip, and I let him go. “I didn’t realize you had grown so attached to her,” he says, straightening his shirt like I didn’t just have him by the throat. Then he turns and walks into his living room, already done with the conversation.

The elevator catches my eye, my gut twisting, but I tear my gaze away and stalk after him. “You should have fucking told me that asshole would be here,” I snap at him. If I had known, I would have warned Gianna. Hell, I wouldn’t have even brought her here. I would’ve taken her home first, where nobody could take her from me.

I should’ve held her.

She was panicking in the car earlier, and I just sat there, pretending I didn’t ache to pull her into my lap, to run my hands through her hair and tell her it was fine. But no. I had a reputation to uphold in front of my men. I couldn’t appear weak.

Now I’d give anything to go back and do it right.

The way she went so pale—the betrayal on her face when she saw Aldo.Fuck.

Why the hell am I still here?

I spin around, marching back towards the elevator. I’m getting her back right the fuck now and setting the record straight like I intended.

“Michael.”

I stop dead, leveling Rafael with a glare.

“Let her go,fratello. She’s not for you.” He shakes his head slowly.

Like hell she’s not. “She’s mine.”

“No, she’s fucking not. She’s engaged to Carlo Mancini. You think he’ll just let her go after he’s spent months and a fortune trying to find her these past few months?”

What?

That wasn’t in the background check I ran on Gianna. How the fuck didn’t that come up? “Carlo is sixty years old,” I say uselessly.

“And? You know how it works in our world, Michael. Carlo and Aldo signed a contract—a marriage contract signed in blood to be precise. Gianna is his for all intents and purposes.”

Not if I have anything to say about it–and I do. “Don’t you fucking say her name.” My finger jabs the air between us.

Rafael sighs like I’m being unreasonable. “You can have anyone else, Michael. There are plenty of women in the city. Forget about her. Don’t muddy the waters. We cannot afford to have an internal war right now or our enemies will pounce.”

“Then let them fucking pounce, Rafael.” I take a step towards him and Lorenzo grabs my arm again. I let him stop me. “Out of respect for you and the position you hold as king of this city, I didn’t protest when that asshole walked out of here with my woman. But I’m going to fucking get her back. I don’t give a shit if you don’t approve.”

Then I turn around again, making my way straight to the elevator, Lorenzo on my heels.

Iwillget her back. No matter the cost.

---